


After the Blessed Night

by polypop



Category: Penny Dreadful (TV)
Genre: 1890s, Alternate Ending, Drama, F/M, Friendship/Love, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, London, Love, Lovers, OTP Feels, Romance, True Love, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:14:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26242483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polypop/pseuds/polypop
Summary: Maybe there was light after the blessed darkness. Maybe love could still be lived.Ethan Chandler pulled the trigger at that endless night, but the target wasn't Vanessa.
Relationships: Ethan Chandler/Vanessa Ives
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. LET IT END

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Após a Escuridão Abençoada](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/677809) by polypop. 



> Well, it’s the first time I’m writing something in English. I can read it and understand it very well, but I don’t write anything since High School (ages ago).  
> So, I wrote a fanfic a couple of years ago, but in Portuguese and now I’m translating it. If you’d like to read all the story in English let me know. I’ll post it somewhere. In Portuguese you can read it on Spirit (link above).  
> I still love Ethanessa and I think they deserved better. I couldn’t get over the end of 3rd season so I wrote another end.

VANESSA: It hurts me more than I thought it would... seeing you.  
ETHAN: You need to come with me...now.  
VANESSA: And go where? They will hunt me to the end of days.  
ETHAN: I can protect you  
VANESSA: No, you can’t. No one can.  
ETHAN: Then we’ll fight him.  
VANESSA: It’s not him, it’s me. Look at me. This is what I am. And this is what I’ve done. Brought this terrible darkness to the world.  
ETHAN: Vanessa. Please. Vanessa.  
VANESSA: And where is she? When did we lose her, Ethan? She was standing in a quiet room, gazing upa t a cross. She reached out, took it from the wall... and put it in the fire. And then she was lost. And so alone.  
ETHAN: You are not alone. You never were. I have stood at the very edge. I have looked into the abyss. If I’d taken one more step, I would have fallen. But no mare how far I ran away from God, he was still waiting ahead.  
VANESSA: Not for me.  
ETHAN: For us all.  
VANESSA: My battle must end. You know that. Or there will never be peace on Earth. Let it end.  
ETHAN: Don’t ask it.  
VANESSA: I don’t have to. You know you have a destiny. It’s why we first met. It’s why you’re here now. You must help me defeat the forces of darkness and deny them their prize for all time.  
ETHAN: No!  
VANESSA: Please... Ethan. – sobbing softly. – Let it end.  
ETHAN: With a kiss.  
VANESSA: with a kiss.  
ETHAN: with love.  
VANESSA: with love.

ETHAN: Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed by thy name. The Kingdom come... Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses. As we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us no tinto temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.  
SWEET: You don’t mean anything to her anymore. Where’s your God now, Wolf?  
ETHAN: Here.  
Ethan turns and shoot against Dr. Sweet. A fatal shoot hits him in the heart and he falls.  
SWEET: You can’t kill me. – he says gasping.  
ETHAN: Maybe I can.  
SWEET: I’ll be back. – says in a weak voice.  
ETHAN: And I’ll be here.  
Dr. Sweet dies. As soon as he takes the final breath all the creatures that are attacking Sir Malcolm, Catriona, Victor e Dr. Seward desappear. The darkness dissipates and Vanessa falls down.  
Ethan holds her and carries her back to Sir Malcolm’s mansion.  
They lay Vanessa on her bed, her vital signs are too weak. “Barely alive”, says Victor, in some kind of a deep coma.  
SEWARD: After all she’s been through nor medicine, nor religion can explain. We shall wait.  
ETHAN: How long?  
VICTOR: We don’t know.  
Etahn seats besides Vanessa’s bed and stand by her side all the time. While she’s unconscious he tells her all the adventures he lived in America. He talks about his father and about the apaches, he tells her his true history and secrets. He doesn’t know if she can hears him, but it keeps him calm.  
The days go on and Vanessa remains unconscious, she doesn’t react to any external stimulus.  
The full moon approaches. Ethan needs to be gone all night, even he doesn’t want to leave Vanessa.  
Ethan goes to Sir Malcolm’s bedroom. Sir Malcolm is staring at a picture of his children, it’s another one, a new one, in this picture there are Mina, Peter and Vanessa.  
ETHAN: Sir Malcolm, sorry to bother you, but I need a favor. I’m going out tonight, could you...  
MALCOLM: Stay with her?  
Ethan nods.  
MALCOLM: Sure, she is my daughter now.  
Ethan goes out for the night.  
In Vanessa’s bedroom, Sir Malcolm hangs a new cross on the wall, in the same place she used to have one. He fluffes her pillow and start to walk around the bedroom. He finds out the box with all letters Vanessa wrote to Mina. He reads the recipient's name on the envelopes and strokes it gently.  
Vanessa slowly open her eyes. Sir Malcolm approches the bed with tears in his eyes. She open her eyes and looks confused. He hugs her. “Thank God!”.  
He touches her hair and look into her eyes.  
VANESSA: Ethan?  
MALCOLM: He needed to go out, but he’ll be back in the morning. – he takes a deep breath, controlling his emotions. – Do you mind if I leave you alone for a while? I’m going to get Victor.  
Vanessa nods still confused.  
A few moments later, Victor arrives to examine her. He checks her heart, her pulse and if she responds to visual commands.  
VICTOR: Miss Ives, do you remember what happened?  
VANESSA: I don’t know  
VICTOR: What’s the last thing you remember?  
VANESSA: I don’t know  
VICTOR: Try to  
VANESSA: I should be dead... Ethan... do you?  
VICTOR: No. – he coughs – We just brought you home.  
VANESSA: Dracula?  
VICTOR: I think he won’t be a problem for a while, Miss Ives.  
VANESSA: He will be back, you know... they always do.  
VICTOR: I believe that at the moment, the best thing you should do is to rest, Miss Ives. We will discuss this with Sir Malcolm later. You just went through a deep trauma. Take a rest.  
Victor leaves the room and let her alone to rest. She notices the new cross hanging on the wall and stares at ir for a while.


	2. ANCIENT EGYPT

It’s morning when Ethan arrives Sir Malcolm’s mansion.

Sir Malcolm, Victor and Dr Florence Seward are in the living room talking. Ethan approaches them.

ETHAN: Vanessa?

MALCOLM: She woke up.

VICTOR: She’s resting in her bedroom.

Ethan turns to go to her bedroom ...

MALCOLM: Ethan, wait... she seems confused

Ethan nods his head and go upstairs.

Vanessa is sitting by the window when Ethan comes in.

ETHAN: Van?

Vanessa turns and they stare each other.

VANESSA: Ethan.

He approaches and hug her tight. Then, let go touching each other’s face.

VANESSA: Why?

ETHAN: I couldn’t. I just couldn’t...

Vanessa nods.

VANESSA: What happened?

ETHAN: Don’t you remember?

VANESSA: You were there and I asked you. I begged you to pull the trigger. And I don’t remember anything else.

ETHAN: I shoot him. Dracula. He died and his slaves went away. The darkness ended and...

VANESSA: No Ethan. There will be Always darkness as long as I live. They will hunt me until the end of days.

ETHAN: And we will fight them. As long as I live you won’t be alone, I’ll never let you. Never more, Vanessa.

VANESSA: You had the chance to let it end once...

ETHAN: We’re togheter for a reason, don’t you remember?

VANESSA: I don’t know if it should be like this.

ETHAN: Me neither, but we will find out. Together.

They approach, touch their faces and hold their foreheads for a moment, but before they kiss, Vanessa walk away.

VANESSA: I need to talk to Sir Malcolm.

* * *

At the bar of an expensive and refined restaurant, Henry Jekyll asks for a drink. "The most expensive" to celebrate his despicable father's death and the transfer of aristocratic titles to himself. Beside him, Dorian Gray is sitting with a glass in his hands contemplating the beauty of solitude.

Jekyll raises his glass:

JEKYLL: A toast to new achievements!

DORIAN: So you found a place in the abject aristocracy?

JEKYLL: It was about time.

DORIAN: Good luck with that.

JEKYLL: Would you like to join me?

DORIAN: I don’t celebrate levity. – he takes a sip and reflects briefly – Unless...

JEKYLL: What?

DORIAN: I know a place more suitable for you. Would you like to join me, Lorde Hyde?

JEKYLL: Your refinement always impresses me, Mr. Gray.

DORIAN: I like to observe how people behave in social conventions. So foolish. It is so boring that it's funny, I'd say. Over time observing the human behavior, we learn to mix in the environment. But enough about me. Will you accompany me?

JEKYLL: Why not?

Dorian takes Jekyll to watch a cricket match.

DORIAN: Cricket first appeared in 1566 as a medieval game version, do you know?

JEKYLL: A cultured man, Dorian.

DORIAN: A long life should be lived enjoying every moment to acquire knowledge.

JEKYLL: A life without work?

DORIAN: There are many ways to work, Dr. Jekyll.

JEKYLL: Call me Henry.

Dorian nods.

DORIAN: Henry.

JEKYLL: And where is there sophistication in this game?

DORIAN: You're looking at the wrong side of the field, Henry. – he smiles without taking his eyes of the game. – People outside the field tends to be more interesting. Lord Flume, for example, leaves his wife at home with the excuse of watching the game. He always comes with his accountant. They have been coming for six months, they try to disguise it, but if you look closely, you notice that there is sexual tension there..

JEKYLL: You think?

DORIAN: Only a good observer sees the nuances of body language.

Jekyll shakes his head thinking about Dorian's meaningless words.

DORIAN: I see that I bored you with my findings.

JEKYLL: Maybe I'm not interested in cricket, after all.

DORIAN: You should, if you're one of those who like to be part of society, this is the kind of thing that society likes.

JEKYLL: Maybe my interests are different.

DORIAN: Mine too – he looks at Jekyll and gives a sly half-smile. - Would you like to drink something out of the eyes of the judging society?

Jekyll stares at Dorian and they both leave.

* * *

A light rain begins to fall in London and Catriona runs to enter the house. She opens the door and shakes her hair to shake off the raindrops that wet her. When she looks at the floor she finds a letter that was left there while she was gone.

The letter did not have a sender and didn’t even need it, Catriona knew that letter in the envelope. She opened the letter hoping to find long texts and answers to all her questions, but the letter was short. It looked like a note. Catriona read it twice, as if the repetition of reading could increase the words and bring new information, but no. The message was very objective.

_Miss Hartdegen,_

_I'm afraid the news on this side of the world are not good. The result of my research was very satisfactory, but the findings of the excavations did not bring encouragement to our concerns._

_Explaining by letter would be complicated (and not safe at all). I am returning to London._

_From your esteemed,_

_Mr. Lyle._

_P.S. Keep Miss Ives safe._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad you liked it, so I'm posting one more chapter today. I found out that translating things are harder than I thought. 
> 
> If you like to help me in this process (with grammar checking and text cohesion), please PM me.


	3. ONLY HUMAN

At home, Dorin Gray turns his gramophone on. Jekyll observes his paintings bored. Dorian was in interesting man, he knew a lot of different things, he was refined, he knew how to behave in Society. He was na excellent observer and he had a great prestige, though his peculiar tastes. Jekyll doesn’t know how helpful his involvement with Dorin can be. Dorian is enigmatic. Jekyll is sure that he keeps a secret, but doesn’t dare to ask. Or rather, he has no interest in asking.

Dorian was well accepted in society and received many invitations to events. Jekyll needed the contacts, but would Dorian be the best company?

Near the others, Dorian was a different man, he didn’t belong to that place, but he was well received and fit. Jekyll knew he was different too, but he will be part of Society, just like Dorian. He would be accept and his name will be known. Yes. He will have his special place, would be renowned, his theory would be proven and he will have the power.

DORIAN: I didn't know the doctor liked art.

JEKYLL: And I don’t.

DORIAN: Interesting.

JEKYLL: Art shows only one side of people, it doesn't show reality.

DORIAN: But we all show just what we want, don't we? There is always that shadow that no one sees, no one knows it exists.

JEKYLL: What if we could separate the good from the bad?

DORIAN: The way you did with Lily?

JEKYLL: Dr. Frankenstein was unable to deal with the situation.

DORIAN: I noticed the weakness of poor Victor from the first time I saw him. Poor child ... – Dorian calmly begins to prepare the drink that both pleases. He puts gin in half the glass and arranges a spoon on top - Can I pour you a drink?

Jekyll approaches him.

JEKYLL: And what do we have here?

DORIAN: Do you know absinthe?

JEKYLL: Only its medical properties.

DORIAN: I should know. You know, a while ago, I introduced the drink to a gentleman. You’d be surprised with the things that happened. – Says as he finishes preparing the drink. Gently place a sugar cube on the spoon, drip a few drops of green liquid and lit the fire.

JEKYLL: If I showed you my theories you would see that nothing surprises me.

Dorian serves the drink and they both drink.

* * *

At Grandage Place Sir Malcolm is sitting comfortably in front of the fire reading the paper. After a long time the news are finally quiet. Peace had returned to in London? Or was it just a rainbow shining through the storm clouds?

Silently, as always, Vanessa enters the room.

VANESSA: Sir Malcolm.

MALCOLM: Vanessa... – he folds the newspaper and puts it aside – How are you?

VANESSA: Better.

MALCOLM: It’s good to see you around the house again. A home needs a female presence.

Vanessa smiles, but doesn’t show any happiness.

VANESSA: Thank you. - She hesitates before speaking again - Sir Malcolm ... I do not know if it's the perfect time to ... - she sits on the side chair and looks Sir Malcolm into his eyes. How difficult it was to look at him, even after so long. She had known him all her life, yet it was difficult to find words. Malcolm Murray. She spent more time at the Murray’s house than at herself. Even as an adult, even after everything she did to Mina. Maybe she was a Murray herself, after all. - Well, I think I'd better talk at once.

MALCOLM: Yes, my dear. - Malcolm notices Vanessa's worried look and calmly waits for her to speak.

VANESSA: Sir Malcolm, I am grateful for all you’ve done for me during the past few years, but after all the suffering I have caused you I think it would be better if I did not stay here anymore. You will never be safe by my side, nobody will be. I am tired of bringing suffering and destruction to everyone who approaches me. I have a place where I can go and be safe - she hoped these last words were true. - I think it would be better for everyone.

Sir Malcolm gets up and sits down beside her, holding her hands. They tremble. He does not know if she is shaking or is himself.

MALCOLM: Vanessa, you don't have to carry that guilt anymore. There was a time in my life when I believed you destroid my family. There was a time I wanted to kill you. But I looked at myself, saw my mistakes, my guilt and realized that we are only human. Our sins separated us and brought us back together. – With tears in his eyes he keeps talking – Vanessa, I didn't fight for you so many times to lose you again. You're the only family I have left. I don't need to be safe. After everything I have lived, all the adventures in Africa and America, and right here in London, it have shown me that I was not born to be safe. My life is taking risks. I have no reason to be safe now. I couldn’t save my family before, now I could never live with a clear conscience without knowing what is happening to you.

VANESSA: I’m sorry, I...

MALCOLM: For being human? Vanessa, since you were a child I saw how your eyes were eager for knowledge, how adventurous your spirit was and how you looked like me. It seemed wrong to wish you were my daughter. Mina and Peter looked like Gladys, even though they wanted to follow in my footsteps I always knew they weren't strong enough, but you. – He wipes a discreet tear with the back of his hand. – It was different with you. And you survived. – Malcolm hugs her and says tenderly – So, Vanessa, there is no chance of you leaving this house. I don't want to be safe. Whatever the dangers we face going forward will face the together. What good is life if it is not to spend it with those we love?

Vanessa hugs Sir Malcolm and he kisses her on the forehead. She cries silently.


End file.
